


This for That

by DemonSaya



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: F/M, Mischief, Pranks and Practical Jokes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:22:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25072309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonSaya/pseuds/DemonSaya
Summary: Sarah gets revenge for a red sock in her laundry.
Relationships: Jareth & Sarah Williams, Jareth/Sarah Williams
Comments: 8
Kudos: 57
Collections: Fluff, Never Forget These





	This for That

In the last few years, Sarah had learned a thing or two about paying back mischief in kind, she thought as she looked at the goblins who were crowded around her right then. She gave them a conspiratorial grin, seeing the brightness in their eyes, the way they looked too excited.

“Alright, I promised you guys something good this weekend.” She pulled out her smartphone, opening a video that she’d found earlier that week when she’d been trying to figure out how she was going to repay Jareth for his last little trick.

It had been a particularly rude trick, involving her whites and a very red garment placed in with them by a goblin who no doubt was standing here, right then. Even though the goblins had solicited the pranks between them, they never took their temper out on them, understanding that it was against the rules. If they lashed out at the goblins, they lost that round.

Sarah had them all gather around, and played the video for them, a bit of a wicked smile on her lips.

“Ohh,” one said, eyes wide and shining.

“The shiny…” another whispered, awed.

“And would you all like some of the shinies of your own?” She asked, leaning against the counter with her hip and grinning at them.

Their eyes lit up as if she’d just offered them the sun, the moon and every start in the sky, just for them. “You got us shinies?”

“I got you loads of shinies. Keep in mind, they can be loud. So be absolutely certain that you start your fun in the middle of the night, okay? You want to make sure everyone in the castle can wake up and see the shinies.”

They were quivering with excitement.

She pulled out several paper bags loaded down with firecrackers, fountains, spinners, sparklers, bottle rockets, poppers, missiles, and rockets. A few were fancy novelty firecrackers, but she was most pleased with the collection of aerial repeaters she’d found. She made sure each goblin had a fire-proof electric lighter so they didn’t accidentally set the castle on fire, and reminded them of safe use.

It wouldn’t do if any of them got injured with the delightful little trick she had planned for his majesty.

“Thank you for the shinies, lady!”

She waved as they set off to their mischief, and she grinned, settling in on her front porch with a glass of wine, her feet set up on the railing, as she waited for the excitement - both here and in the Goblin Kingdom to start.

She figured she’d have a few quiet hours before it got dark enough that Jareth got the most exciting wake up she could possibly give him from another world.

* * *

The goblins had been too damn quiet, the last few days, Jareth thought, eyeing the setting sun, and wondering when Sarah was going to come back at him with revenge for his last petty, spiteful little trick. She hadn’t even showed up on his doorstep demanding an explanation. At first, he wondered if the trick had failed, but he saw her wearing her favorite blouse, later and it was quite pink.

Perhaps she was growing tired of the tricks, and hadn’t deemed this latest jab worthy of a response.

That idea galled him.

He went back into his room, sulking. Waving his hand, he conjured a crystal and looked at an image of Sarah reclined on her porch with a nice glass of white, condensation beading on the globe of the goblet. She looked positively pleased as punch, he thought, and there was an undeniable shiver of worry at the intense mischief in her eyes.

The sky outside had grown darker, and he was about to see if he shouldn’t just go see if she was truly angry with him, when a loud boom echoed outside of his window.

He whipped around, half wondering if an idiot goblin was playing with the canons.

Instead, outside his window was a riot of color, bright, brilliant lights flying through the sky. Then, another shrill shriek, and a jet of light flew up in the sky. It exploded in brilliant red, and then green, the colors drifting down in graceful arcs.

He realized too late that the crystal had fallen from his grip and shattered on the ground. “Damn -”

More shrieks, followed by concurrent, rapid booming, and as beautiful as the lights were, the noise was ruffling his feathers.

Looking down from the balcony he found the goblins had set up a very curious display in a large stone courtyard. Some were running around chasing each other with sparklers, popping noises and bright sparks echoed up to him. They were running wildly and screaming in excitement while a rather rotund goblin was setting up what looked like a very large rocket just beneath his balcony.

Shit.

He managed to clap his hands over his ears before the massive boom almost right next to his head.

His teeth ground against themselves as he clenched his jaw and he remembered the pleased expression on Sarah’s face as she’d been sitting, in perfect peace on her porch. He snarled, and tried to decide if it was worth going and telling her off right then for the unwanted light show right by his window. Was this her trick?

He didn’t want to give her the pleasure.

So he went towards his bed and crawled in, trying to sleep.

A fool’s dream, he realized, moments later.

Sarah must have given them days worth of the damn insufferable things. The only way he’d get any peace at all was if he went and told her off, now. Then he might at least have the benefit of an apology from her.

More booms and shrieks of excitement from outside his window, that even the glass couldn’t fully smother.

He snarled, and rolled out of his massive bed, changing into something that might give her a clue as to his mood, right then, and with one step went from his bedroom to her front porch, just feet from her.

She glanced at him as he stormed in, and she looked wildly amused, even as she paused to dust the glitter from her shoulders. 

“That took less time than expected,” she admitted, and he blinked in surprise when she simply offered him a glass of wine that was sitting on the table in front of her. She gestured to the chair beside her, leaning back and relaxing.

“Woman, have you any idea what you’ve done? You gave the goblins a bright sparkly arsenal that they’ve been blowing up outside of my bedroom window for the last three hours.”

She glanced towards him. “Oh, and the red sock in my carefully sorted laundry just happened as a coincidence, your majesty?”

Her voice was sassy and mocking. Her shrewd glance told him everything he needed to know about the effectiveness of that little trick. He scowled, sitting in the chair beside her, sipping the glass of wine. “I am not someone you should trifle with.”

“Nor am I, Jareth, which is something you keep forgetting when you deal with me.”

She gave him a smile and relaxed, not looking particularly perturbed.

“I could have considered this an act of war, precious.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, but where’s the fun in that? I promise as much fun as they’re having, they’ll be finished well before dawn, which given our track record is when you’ll be heading home, regardless.”

His lips twitched, not sure if he was still annoyed with her, or amused. Still, he nodded, acknowledging the reality of that. “I really will have to repay you for this one, precious.”

She glanced towards him, a smirk curving her lips that matched his own. “Oh, really? I think you’re just angry that this is the second time I’ve really gotten you, and you’re still salty that I didn’t come down on your doorstep like an anvil when you ruined my favorite shirt.”

He sipped his wine, looking at her from the corner of his eye. “Perhaps, Sarah. Perhaps. I admit, you’re getting far too good at this.”

“Am I?”

“So much so that I may have to make you my queen this time.”

“You say that every time, Jareth. Even when you’re the one pranking me.”

“Precious, we are wasting very valuable time before I’m going to be missed from my kingdom. Shut up and kiss me.”

She laughed, and her laughter seemed to light the air around her. “Very well, then, your majesty.”


End file.
